Payne scores 25 points as A&M eliminates Yale to reach Round of 32
DENVER — Jace Carter ignited a pivotal 9-0 run, and Pharrel Payne’s dominance in the paint staved off a Yale rally as No. 4 seed Texas A&M (23-10) rolled to an 80-71 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night at Ball Arena.
The Aggies advance to the second round on Saturday to face either Michigan or UC San Diego.
Yale (22-8) trailed by double figures most of the second half but pulled within 58-52 with 8:36 to play.
Enter Carter. The Aggies had missed nine consecutive 3-point attempts until Carter drilled a triple from the left wing with 7:29 left.
He followed with a put-back of a Zhuric Phelps miss to start that 9-0 run, which put the Aggies ahead, 67-52.
The Ivy League champion Bulldogs cut the A&M’s lead to 69-60 on a free throw by John Poulakidas with 3:43 to play.
But Payne, who had a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds, scored a layup with 3:06 left. He then followed with a three-point play to give A&M a 74-62 lead that all but sealed the victory.
Payne’s 25-point outburst was a career-high. Wade Taylor IV also had 16 points. Carter had 10.
Poulakidas led Yale with 23 points.
The Aggies were in control for the vast majority of the game. They hit their final three shots of the first half — including a deep 3-pointer from Taylor — to take a 40-29 lead at the break.
That capped an impressive half in which the Aggies excelled everywhere except the free-throw line.
They shot 58.6 percent from the field, hit four 3-pointers and forced eight turnovers, which were parlayed into 12 points.
Payne had 10 points in the half, while Taylor and Andersson Garcia each had seven.
The only disappointment was that A&M converted just two of its six free-throw attempts.
But just getting to the line was encouraging because Yale’s 6-foot-10 center Samson Aletan picked up three fouls in the half.
Also, Poulakidas and Nick Townsend both played 19 minutes, while guard Bez Mbeng, who was tasked with guarding Taylor, played 17.
By comparison, only Taylor and Garcia played as many as 15 minutes.
That suggested the Aggies might be fresher in the second half.
That might have been a factor in the Aggies’ strong finish, though Payne and Carter were much bigger factors.
Star of the Game: Pharrel Payne posted a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
Unsung Hero: Jace Carter came off the bench in the second half to score eight of his 10 points, including a couple of 3-pointers
Key Stat: The Aggies dominated inside. They outscored Yale 48-32 in the paint.
Turning Point: Yale had moved within 58-52 with 8:36 to go. Then, Carter, who had come off the bench, drilled a 3-pointer. He followed up with a put-back of a Zhuric Phelps miss. Those baskets launched a 9-0 run that put the Aggies in control, 67-52, with 5:44 remaining,
It was clinched when: Payne scored a put-back and drew the foul with 2:30 remaining. He completed the three-point play for a 74-62 lead with 2:30 showing. That clinched the win for all practical purposes.
